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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247112">Cages of Words</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunnyPearl/pseuds/PunnyPearl'>PunnyPearl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Undertale (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Angst, Are they soulmates?, Artistic Reader, Birds, Books describe peoples lives, Cages, Caspian is a good boy, Fluff, I sure don't - Freeform, What are Tags?, monsters are still underground at the beginning of the story, reader gets a doggo, sad sans and papyrus, who knows - Freeform, writing at three a.m. instead of sleeping</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:31:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,737</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunnyPearl/pseuds/PunnyPearl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On the day a new soul is begins their life, they receive a book. You were supposed to be able to write your own story... But when was life ever that kind to you?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Papyrus (Underswap)/Reader, Sans (Underswap)/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>101</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Quote Unquote</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An introduction to the world and our main characters</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On the day that a new soul begins their life, they get to choose a single book. The books are split between two categories; Filled and Empty.</p><p>People with filled books have predictable lives. If a person's book is filled with tragedy and heartache, the wielder of the book is generally discriminated against and the tragedies in their story come to pass. If a person's book is filled with love and happiness, they are generally surrounded by people who genuinely care for them and they live their lives to the fullest, only to die surrounded by close friends and family. A person with a filled book will always know how their lives will go.</p><p>Empty books are unpredictable. You write your own story, and others write their stories within you. You are a clean slate, the only indicator for how your life will go is a single phrase at the beginning of your book and a pattern and color. Empty books are rare and the holders of such stories are seen as outcasts. Their lives are filled with uncertainty and oftentimes, they are abandoned once they have served their purpose to the holders of Filled books. </p><p>You wield an empty book.</p><p>It's not all bad. You get to write your own story! You get to decide what you will do with your life! At least, that's what everyone said when you were younger. Right now, though, you're watching as new words etch themself into your thick tome.</p><p>'I FINALLY GOT PAPPY TO PICK UP HIS SOCKS TODAY. THE ACCOMPLISHMENT SHALL BE FOREVER WRITTEN IN THE STARS.'</p><p>You glance up at the sky to see if the stars changed in any way. Nothing.</p><p>'c'mon, bro, it wasn't that big of a deal.'</p><p>You close your book and place it into your hip bag. It's a convenient fashion statement that everyone wears to keep their stories safe. There are always people who want to steal others' stories. In fact, there are a select few who can change the outcome of stories. Luckily, a patch at the front of your bag reveals that your book is Empty, which is usually enough to ward people away from you.</p><p>To tell the truth, you've never been in charge of your own story. It's always been these two 'Authors', as you like to call them. They do back-and-forths with eachother in your story that usually end up being funny but cause you a lot of stress and mood swings. Some days, they write out their deepest secrets and you are left to deal with the aftermath of their dark thoughts. Other days, they write of small triumphs, which leave you feeling happy and carefree.</p><p>They always talk of freedom. Freedom... Is something you will never have. They made it that way. You will forever be chained to the story that they write for you.</p><p>~~~</p><p>'I'VE BEEN WONDERING...'</p><p>It's another day now and from the way they've been writing today, you can tell there will be something heavy filling your book soon.</p><p>'wassup bro?'</p><p>'DO YOU RECALL THE WORDS THAT WERE WRITTEN IN THE BEGINNING OF OUR BOOKS?'</p><p>' it's not like we can't look back and see what they were, but yeah. i remember the words written.'</p><p>' 'AND SO THEY GO, SILENT AS CAN BE. YET EVERY DAY THEY GROW BOLDER AND BOLDER. WILL THEY FINALLY FLY UPON THEIR OWN WINGS?' IT'S A STRANGE QUOTE. WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE IT MEANS?'</p><p>There is nothing for a while and you are left to contemplate the words as well. You have the same quote written on the first page of your tome, but you've never thought too much about it. It felt as though the quote was for the Authors of your story to use to mold your life.</p><p>'could mean anything, bro. in my opinion, we gotta look out for eachother and help eachother grow, along with the rest of the people we know. one day, though, we'll have to go it alone, just us two.'</p><p>You feel a pang of hurt at the words. 'What about me?' you want to ask them. What about the person they have inadvertently been shaping their whole lives? What about the person whose story has been in their hands since the beginning? You want to cry, but you hold it back. You're in public right now. You can't afford to make your life look messy. Others will look down on you for such actions.</p><p>You place your book back in its holder, not bothering to read the rest of the conversation.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Fine Print</p><p>If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Fine Print</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which you get mad at your authors and meet a new friend</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You contemplate what you're doing as you fiddle with the edge of the paper in your hand. It's attached to your story. It's supposed to be bad karma to tear pages from your book, but today's conversation was too much. The anguish in your heart is reaching a fever pitch and it's all because of this damned page of writing.</p><p>Today, they were talking about a place called the 'Underground', a metaphorical place where 'monsters' gather and make their homes. They spoke of one day escaping the underground, to find freedom and to finally see the stars. The last sentence, one written by the lower case author, was so filled with hopelessness that you felt the small carefully crafted smile fall off your face.</p><p>'we'll never be free, no matter what. we're just a couple of birds with clipped wings.'</p><p>For the first time ever, you were pissed at the authors. How dare they write such things in someone else's story! How dare they curse you to a life of cages and forced bird songs. Deep in your heart, you knew you would never be free. But to have it written so plainly... You were furious.</p><p>So, you did the only thing you knew how to do. You drew. Because words are too difficult for you. They're messy and imprecise. It's hard to get your feeling across with words alone.</p><p>For hours, you filled the backside of the hopeless page of writing with what was left of your hope. You wouldn't allow your story to end like this. You would be free!</p><p>Harsh strokes of charcoal and lead were all that you knew for a time. A bleak picture of a lone bird cage, it's bars pristine and proper. Small words were etched into the bars, words of hopelessness and cages and thoughts of never being free. This was your cage. This was your fate. But you would rise above some stupid words! You would write your own story! Standing precariously at the edge of the cage was a lone bird, their wings outstretched as if they were about to jump. Their beady eyes were set on a destination. Freedom. A place where they would no longer be subject to the toxicity of the place they make their home.</p><p>Small streaks of color, the red of determination, the yellow of a better future and the blue of a new horizon. You chose these colors specifically for your bird, the only source of light and color in the otherwise dark setting. The colors blended with the monochrome pallet surrounding it, giving them a muddled tone, but that's just what you wanted. This bird wasn't free yet. They wouldn't be free until they found a way to escape the cage they're in. But the bird would one day find a way out, and that's all that mattered.</p><p>~~~</p><p>The next few days were filled with questions. 'who put that picture in our book?' 'DID YOU DRAW THAT?'</p><p>It was honestly amusing. You were so relieved they had no idea it was you, but now that you'd done it, you kind of wanted to draw again. It felt... so right, to draw in your own story. It felt liberating. Free, for the first time in your entire life. But you didn't want to waste pages on simple whims. Drawing in your book should be saved for emergencies only, when everything feels bleak and when hope is almost gone. Still, you contemplated whether you could get away with drawing small doodles in the margins of your book.</p><p>It took a while to work up the nerve to pick up your pencil again and to sketch out a small dog. The sketch went unnoticed, especially since you drew it to be chewing on one of the small bone patterns at the bottom of the page. The patterns decorating your pages were bones, which never made sense to you. Usually, a page filled with bones or ravens meant bad luck, but your life is subpar at most. Nothing too interesting happens, except when the authors write something phenomenal, which they usually don't.</p><p>Still, you can't help but marvel at the little puppy with his sparkling eyes, filled with mischief. You drew that! You put that into your story! It was exhilarating. You hum happily as you place your book back into your hip bag and take off down the street, towards your place of work. Today's gonna be a good day!</p><p>You arrive at work with a pep in your step that your co-workers immediately pick up on. Nobody knows about the Authors who write in your story, so they probably just assume that you came up with something happy to write into your story for the day. In a way, you kind of did. You drew something that made you happy, and that's all that matters to you in the moment. Work flies by and you clock out at just the right time to be able to head to your favorite cafe and pick up some tea and buiscuits.</p><p>You settle at a window table and watch as people walk by. Most have their noses in their books, others rush by to get to appointments. You sigh and doodle a few flowers on your arm, a happy aura surrounding you for a while. Then all hell breaks loose.</p><p>"Eeeek!" You slowly turn your head to the origin of the sound, curious to see who could possibly be shrieking on such a calm and relaxing day. A lady with a pink-bound book is standing on her chair, cowering away from a medium-sized pomeranian puppy. You can't help but giggle at the irony; the dog you drew earlier looks a lot like the puppy that's staring up at the still screaming lady. Then it hits you. That dog is the EXACT same as the one you drew earlier. </p><p>You hop out of your seat in a hurry, practically running over to the section of the shop where people are beginning to gather. "W-wait, that dog's a part of my story. Could I... could I take him out?" You ask the person who's approaching the dog with the intent to throw it out. All of the people surrounding you stop, the idea that they would be interrupting somebody's story by messing with the dog a looming threat to their own books. The crowd quickly disperses and a few give you sage nods before taking their leave. You scoop up the puppy, who lets out a small yip as you scoop him up from the floor. The lady who was cowering from the dog gives you a stern glare, upturns her nose and turns back to gossip with her friends. You stomp down the urge to let the dog go and terrorize her again, instead deciding to head outside and get the whole situation sorted.</p><p>"So. You're... a part of my story now. Do you have a name?" You ask the puppy, who simply turns his head at you. Why did you think the dog would talk to you again? Ugh, nevermind. You're gonna have to find out what to do with this dog.</p><p>For starters, you could take him to your home, since he seems well-behaved. You'll need to get him food, a place to sleep, toys... The dog follows you around without much directing on your end, which is good. You don't have a leash yet so it would be hard to keep him close if he were to wander. Along the walk home, you wonder what you could name him. His silvery-white fur reminds you of a prince or maybe snow, but you don't want to give him some regular old name. Maybe you could look up the names of princes?</p><p>The dog waltzes into your house like he owns the place and immediately plops down on your recliner. You let out a puff of a laugh when he rolls over to his back, asking for tummy rubs. You happily oblige and marvel at how soft his fur is, almost like silk. You decide you're going to be drawing a lot more of this puppy in the future.</p><p>"Do you prefer cheese or meat?" You question the dog as you continue to run your hands through his soft fur. He raises both of his front paws, which you assume is his way of saying option two. Just to test out your theory, you ask another question. "Do you prefer meat or fish?" One paw raised, so his favorite appears to still be meat. You begin to list off different meats and are surprised to find out that his all-time favorite food is ground beef. You'll have to make more meals with the meat in it, you decide.</p><p>"Well... I'm gonna check my book then head to bed. If you need to go out, don't hesitate to wake me up." You tell the dog, then head to your room. The dog lets out a small yip, then turns over to curl up on himself. You leave the door cracked and jump into your bed, waiting only a moment before opening your book.</p><p>'PAPPY! DID YOU LET A DOG INTO THE HOUSE? HE STOLE MY TACO MEAT!'</p><p>'can't say i did bro, but did you see the dog sketch on the bottom margin? they look awfully similar.'</p><p>Looks like your drawing did not go without notice. Well, it's not like they can stop you from drawing. The thought fills you with the determination to make another small sketch. You glance at your desk and your eyes catch on a paper crane you made when you were younger. </p><p>A soft hum passes your lips as you begin sketching the paper bird, light pencil strokes leading into thicker lines leading back to tips and edges. It's a soothing process and you begin to get into it before you're startled by words suddenly sprouting to life on the paper you're working on.</p><p>'so there really is a third party. was wondering when you were gonna speak up.'</p><p>You feel a shiver go down your spine and immediately pull your pencil away from the page. Maybe you're done drawing for tonight... Before you can close your book, more words begin to pop up on your page.</p><p>'you used to sketch a lot a few years back. why'd you stop?'</p><p>You contemplate how to answer the question. You've never written in your book before and you aren't sure if you could do it now. Instead, you settle for  slowly sketching out your thoughts. It could be like a game of pictionary.</p><p>A cage is the first thing that comes to mind, as it always does. You're trapped. There's no freedom in sight. The bars are thick and suffocating. But within the cage are small strokes of color, your pencils and pens; ways to express yourself when you feel as though you have nothing else. The picture is clear, unsmudged and precise. That's how your life used to be. But one day, words came to life in your book and everything changed. You had no control over your situation. Your colors meant nothing, the small attempts you would make to shape your own life were meaningless. You swipe your thumb through the colors, blending them together into a brown-grayish mess. The small solace you had in your drawings was gone, taken from you in a single moment.</p><p>There is silence for a few moments. You're about to close your book and fall into a deep slumber, but the appearance of new words stops you.</p><p>'We're Sorry'</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Introduction</p><p>If you have any suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Introduction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In Which You Learn A Bit More About Your Authors</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You've been 'talking' to your authors a bit more recently. You don't write words, but you can get your thoughts across through your pictures. They seem genuinely apologetic about taking away your freedom, but you've been trying to explain how you don't care as much anymore. It's something you've gotten used to.</p><p>They often speak of how unfair it is to take someone's freedom away. You agree that it's unfair, but in this world, it is inevitable. We are all slaves to our stories. Even people who have Empty books are fated to follow some course of life, even if they get the luxury of writing their stories themselves.</p><p>You begin to sketch out the constructs of your world, the hierarchy that somehow came to be; At the very bottom were people with tragedy filled books. Their fates were sealed- they would face ruin and hardships until the day they died. Next were the people with Empty books; their lives were filled with uncertainty and they were often tools to the third and highest class; those with books of Fortune. Fortune book holders were often in a league of their own. They were the people movies were based off of. They lived model lives and were often heralded as heroes.</p><p>Your Authors had a lot to say about the construct you made- it appears, where they're from, people are not discriminated against based on their stories. And, more often than not, if they got help from their friends and family, they could change the outcome of their stories. It's amazing to you, that such a place exists. A place where discrimination is rarely seen and where people can trust eachother enough to request help with their stories. Where you live, you have to know someone for years before they even read a page of their book to you. Not to mention Story Theft is a huge problem. There are robberies where the only thing the criminals are going for is other people's books and there are times where people would rather die than hand over their stories.</p><p>'AND ANOTHER THING! HOW DO THE PEOPLE WITH FORTUNATE BOOKS EVEN GET INTO THE PLACES THEY GET INTO? DOWN HERE, THE MORE TRAGIC YOUR STORY, THE MORE WELL-KNOWN YOU ARE, SO OTHERS WILL TRY TO HELP YOU AND MAYBE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CHANGE YOUR FATE.'</p><p>Your reply is that of a wilted flower. Things that already show signs of decay are thrown away hastily, the same thing happens to those with tragic stories.</p><p>'damn, we're really gonna walk into a doozy of a world, aren't we?'</p><p>You aren't sure what the Author is talking about, so you choose to ignore the line in favor of checking on the ground beef cooking on your stove. Caspian, your dog, is looking up at you with hopeful eyes. You cautiously pick a piece of meat from the pan and toss it into the air, watching as he catches it with ease.</p><p>'PERHAPS WE SHOULD TELL THEM WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING SOON.'</p><p>You tense at these words. What's going to happen? Are they going to stop writing? Are they going to write out your murder? That would be too cruel, especially since you've been getting to know eachother better as of lately.</p><p>'sure. hey illustrator, you ever heard of monsters?'</p><p>You contemplate what to put down as an answer before doodling a quick picture of Pikachu and a slime from dragon quest beside him.</p><p>'eh, i guess you get the gist. thing is, monsters are real. my bro and i are a couple of skeleton monsters. we're gonna be surfacing soon, so you better be ready to paint our portraits'</p><p>Now you're confused. Your authors are... Skeleton monsters? And what do they mean by 'surfacing'? Do they live underground or something? Memories of times when they would talk about living in a place called 'The Underground' flash in your mind and you have to actually sit down and gather your thoughts.</p><p>'ILLUSTRATOR? ARE YOU STILL THERE?'</p><p>You sketch out a quick leaf, a sign that you're still alive and well, but you need some time. Caspian waddles up to your side and licks your bare legs in a comforting manner, trying to get you to calm down, but you're still so confused. Should you believe them? You have no proof that monsters seriously exist, but they haven't lied to you thus far. Why would they start lying now? Maybe you could convince them to tell you more.</p><p>It takes a few moments to figure out how to sketch out your question, but you eventually settle on a picture of a path leading to a dark cave. Luckily, your authors seem to pick up on your question and begin to elaborate.</p><p>'YES, WE LIVE IN A PLACE CALLED THE UNDERGROUND. A LONG TIME AGO, MONSTERS AND HUMANS ENGAGED IN A FIERCE BATTLE. THE HUMANS CAME OUT VICTORIOUS AND BANISHED THE MONSTERS TO THE UNDERGROUND.'</p><p>'skip a few years, the king and queen of monsters find a human child and adopt them as their own. the prince of monsters and his adopted human counterpart came up with a plan to escape from the underground. the human consumed buttercups, poisoning themself and leaving their soul to their adopted brother. monster kid took the human’s soul and crossed the barrier to the surface.'<br/>

"UNFORTUNATELY, THE HUMANS WERE ANGERED AT THE SIGHT OF A MONSTER CARRYING A CHILD'S CORPSE. THE PRINCE ONLY WANTED TO FULFILL HIS SIBLING'S LAST REQUEST, BUT HE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND RETREATED BACK TO THE UNDERGROUND.'</p><p>'monster kid died that day, among the buttercups that killed his brother. the queen of monsters, enraged by the deaths of her two children, decided that every human that would come to the underground would be killed and, upon the collection of the seventh soul, we would escape from the underground.</p><p>You can't imagine the authors of your story going out and killing innocent human children, but with the imagery of them being skeletons, you can't help but find it... fitting, in a way. Even so, you wait for them to finish their story.</p><p>'WE NEVER GOT TO MEET A HUMAN. IT HAS BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE THE LAST ONE FELL. THAT IS, UNTIL ABOUT A WEEK AGO, WHEN A SMALL HUMAN IN A STRIPED SWEATER LEFT THE RUINS (A PART OF THE UNDERGROUND) AND PROCEEDED TO SOLVE ALL OF MY PUZZLES AND EVEN MANAGED TO BEFRIEND ME. THEY ARE NICE AND HAVE SO FAR SPARED EVERY MONSTER THEY HAVE COME ACROSS. I HAVE HOPE THAT THEY ARE THE LIGHT THAT THE UNDERGROUND NEEDS.'</p><p>It's silent for a while and you have a feeling that's the end of the story. It was a whole lot all at once and you're not sure how to feel, but there is one thing you're sure of. If the story is true, you want to be there to see the authors of your story finally find freedom.</p><p>'Where Is The Underground Located?'</p><p>You feel nerves build up in your chest as you wait for a reply. Is your handwriting too messy to read? Will they even reply? Just as your nerves reach a fever pitch, words begin to scrawl across the page.</p><p>'WOWIE! YOUR HANDWRITING IS SO PRETTY! SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT, WE HAD TO ASK THE HUMAN HOW THEY CAME TO BE IN THE UNDERGROUND.'</p><p>You wait a bit longer for the location but get nothing. Maybe they're expecting you to reply?</p><p>'What Did They Say?'</p><p>'some place named ebott. it's supposed to be a mountain.'</p><p>Wait- Ebott Mountain? You live right next to that place! How have you never heard a single story about monsters or a war or anything? It's kind of outlandish, but not impossible. You have no clue how long monsters live; for all you know, they could be ageless. Without ever realizing it, you began to sketch out the mountain on your book. It's looking pretty good, so you decide to finish the drawing, then await a reply.</p><p>'THE HUMAN SAYS YOUR DRAWING IS SPOT ON! DO YOU LIVE AROUND THE MOUNTAIN?'</p><p>A quick sketch of your house and a line connecting the two pictures later, the Authors of your story are excitedly talking about setting up a place for you all to meet up. You suggest just hiking up the mountain and setting up camp until the monsters escape, but they say it might take a while for the human to set them free. Instead, they decide that they'll tell you right before they escape and you'll go for a hike then.</p><p>You set your book to the side and pull your plate of tacos closer. Caspian gives you a pleading look and you toss him a few pieces of meat in exchange for a couple tricks. All in all, it's a good day and you can't wait until you can meet the people who've been writing in your story.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Foreword</p><p>If you have any suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Foreword</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which you go on a hike</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's nearly a month later when you finally get the message. There was a minor hiccup, but the human was finally at the barrier and they were gathering the rest of the monsters to make their escape. You excitedly pull on your hiking gear and tuck your story away, then hop into your car and drive through the forest separating the mountain from the city. You park your car in a nondescript area, jump the fence blocking the mountain from the public, then you're off.</p><p>It takes a long time to get to the mountain's summit, but Caspian makes the journey fun by bringing you different sticks and plants to observe. You sketch a few of the plants and manage to get your dog to pose long enough to draw a really cute picture of him. The two of you make camp just a couple hours before sundown and you anxiously hold your book, waiting for the message that your friends were finally free.</p><p>You spend the time waiting sketching a picture of the sunset. It's so lovely today, melting into different shades of oranges, yellows and reds. It's one of the first times you've used color in your book and you can't help but feel a little proud of yourself for how it's turning out. A bird lands in front of you just as you're about to finish detailing your picture and you can't help but add the little animal to your portrait. They remind you of the bird you drew so many weeks back, your little symbol of freedom. And that's just what today is. A day that will lead to freedom and happiness for so many people.</p><p>A tremor shakes the ground and you and Caspian rise to your feet, eager to find the source of the shaking. You follow the sound of hushed, awed voices and your eyes land on a sight even more beautiful than the sunset you were sketching just moments prior. The monsters, all gathered together, smiling happily as they watch the sun fall behind the horizon. You take your phone out and snap a quick picture, promising yourself to draw the view later, then you flip your book open and write a quick message.</p><p>'Y'know, There's A Whole Lot More To The Surface Than Just Sunsets.'</p><p>You watch with bated breath as two skeletons; one short and dressed in silvers and blues, the other in cargo shorts and an orange hoodie, look at a book the same size as your own, then glance around. You shuffle a bit against the tree you're leaning on, successfully catching their attention.</p><p>The two skeletons practically throw their book and bolt straight for you, the smaller of the two with outstretched arms and the taller moseying along behind him. You happily scoop up the shorter skeleton and twirl around with him, then set him on the floor and reach out for the skeleton still left out of the embrace. He lets out a huff of air and slowly wraps his long arms around the two of you.</p><p>This feels... Right, somehow. You would never trade this moment for the world. Wrapped up between the two monsters who have been there for you your whole life, who have helped to shape you into the person you are today...</p><p>You finally feel free.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Cover to Cover</p><p>If you have any suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Cover to Cover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which some time has passed and some monsters are happy</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's been a few months coming, but you're finally done. That drawing that you promised yourself you'd draw? Well, it turned into a painting. Then a story book. Then a mural. You wipe the sweat from your brow, accidentally smearing the paint still on your hands across your face.</p>
<p>"lookin' good, honey. i like the detail, makes it look like it's not a pigment of your imagination." Papyrus calls from somewhere below you. You carefully descend the ladder you're standing on and greet your friend with a kiss on the cheek.</p>
<p>"Thanks, Pappy. Is Sans ready for our picnic?" You ask as you begin wiping your hands off on a stained rag. Papyrus nods and points to the door that leads to the exit of the Monster Embassy, a place for monsters to gather and share their ideas. You're one of the few humans allowed within its walls, being the Ambassador's assistant and all. You still aren't sure how you landed the job, but it pays well and you even convinced Chara to let you plan out the decorations for the main lobby.</p>
<p>The two of you exit the Embassy and your eyes immediately land on the excited form of Sans, who's happily bouncing up and down on his light blue motorcycle. He'd mentioned wanting one in your book in the past and you'd one day drawn what you thought he'd look like riding one. The very next day, the two of you were out on a morning jog and you passed by a dealership.</p>
<p>"Y/N! COME ON, RIDE WITH ME!" Sans shouts from across the parking lot. You jog up to his side and plant a short kiss on his cheek before taking hold of the helmet and leather jacket he has held out for you. When you look back up from donning the gear, there's still a pleasant cyan blush across his cheeks. You've drawn the expression many times, but it's never as good as seeing it in real life.</p>
<p>The two of you take off like shots- zooming across the roads and bridges to get to the park where you have your weekly picnic. Papyrus somehow got ahead of the two of you, even though his truck is quite chunky and slow looking. Your two dogs have their heads poking out of the open windows, Caspian happily sniffing at the air while Milo (a.k.a. Annoying Dog) gnaws on a bone Papyrus probably summoned for him.</p>
<p>Sans parks his motorcycle in its usual spot and helps you off the vehicle, then collects the riding gear and places it in his seat compartment. By the time he's done with that, Papyrus has the dogs on their leashes and a picnic basket in his other hand. You take Caspian's leash and make yourself the head of the party, leading the way to your usual picnic spot.</p>
<p>You and Sans work together to spread out the picnic blanket while Papyrus plays fetch with the dogs. It only takes a few minutes to get the feast set up and ready for eating. The set up is superb with triangle cut sandwiches, fresh fruit and homemade cupcakes. Sans has gotten into baking lately; his cookies are to die for. Meanwhile, Papyrus has been taking photography lessons, his walls are covered in different moments of time and he's taken to placing some of the pictures in your book for safe keeping.</p>
<p>You only keep your book on you for quick access to the brothers now. The days you spent obsessing over whether it was your cage or your life are long past. Now, the book is just a reminder of all of the good times you've had with your friends and family. With the help of Papyrus and Sans, you've made your story into a scrapbook filled with memories and cherished moments. You learned that it doesn't have to define who you are. Because no book or movie or single person can decide who you're going to be. It's the culmination of everything you've experienced, everyone you've met and every place you've been that makes you who you are.</p>
<p>And right now, you want to be the person who's eating great food, making terrible jokes and laughing happily with their friends on a gorgeous friday afternoon. A beep from your phone alerts you of a notification and you take it out of your pocket to see who’s texting. Chara.</p>
<p>‘Monsters are getting their books taken’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Table of Contents</p>
<p>If you have any suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Table of Contents</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Chara has a plan</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What do you mean monsters are getting their books taken? Is that even possible?” You ask Chara as you burst into their room. You had to clean up your picnic with the boys early and rush over to the Embassy, but they understood and promised to keep some dinner for you.</p>
<p>‘<em>I mean what I said. Some of the smaller monsters have been getting their books taken. Nothing has happened to them yet, but we’ve taken them in for questioning and to see if there are any behavioural changes.</em>’ Chara signs calmly, then guides you to one of their plush chairs. Temmie is napping away in the corner of the room, but you have a feeling they’re actually awake.</p>
<p>“So the only thing that happened to them was their books being taken away… No murders, no beatings?” You question after a moment. Chara nods their ascent and you take a pencil and notepad from your hip bag to begin taking notes.</p>
<p>“Okay. Is there any sort of pattern you’re noticing in the victims? You said they were all smaller monsters; what’s the largest monster you have to this date? The smallest?”</p>
<p>‘<em>So far, it’s mostly migosps and moldsmols. There were a couple mice and even Temmie was targeted at a point. That’s when I began to take notice of what’s been going on.</em>’ Chara tells you, then glances at their partner. You look over Temmie as well and notice their book holder now has a lock on it.</p>
<p>You begin to sketch out the different victims and their relative sizes as well as a few scenarios for why they might be targeted. The monsters aren’t aggressive by any means and are mostly neutral (accepting Temmie). They’re easy targets.</p>
<p>“Okay… Next question. Do you have any clue who might be doing this? I’m guessing some sort of anti-monster organization, but it could just as easily be a band of Book Thieves.” You suggest, but Chara just shrugs their shoulders. You suppose it’s a bit too early for any sort of definitive information about the group to start popping up.</p>
<p>‘<em>There is one thing we could do, to get information and to possibly find out where they are located. It’s risky, but… I believe we’ll be fine.</em>’ Chara says while making direct eye contact with you. You feel your gut twist as their eyes rake your form down to your hip bag, where your story is safely resting. You unconsciously reach down to hold it closer to your body, which seems to snap Chara out of their stupor.</p>
<p>‘<em>I won’t force you or your friends to do this, but hear me out. You, Sans and Papyrus have a special connection with your stories. If we were to, say, misplace the boys’ book and get it taken by the group taking people’s stories, you could watch and see what they are doing to the stories. Then, once we have enough information, we can send people in to stop them.’</em> You frown at their words and look away. It’s way too risky and you would rather die than risk your friends happy endings, but it’s literally your job to make sure the monsters are safe and happy.</p>
<p>“I’m not saying yes. It’s too big of a decision for just one person to make. But I will bring it up with Sans and Papyrus when I get home. If you want, you can reach out to them and talk it over, but if they say no, don’t push it. This is a huge decision and it shouldn’t be made lightly. Give us at least a couple weeks to form our opinions.” You tell Chara after a moment's contemplation. They nod their head respectively, then gesture to the door for you to exit. You wave your goodbye, then take off down the corridors to your office.</p>
<p>You feel… really sick. How could Chara even consider such a plan? To use your friends’ book to lure out a group of people who so easily overtake monsters and steal their most valued possessions; to just use them as bait to spy on a group that might not even touch their book… It makes you feel trapped. Because it’s your job, to protect the monsters and to make sure that monsters are happy. But it’s also your job to protect your friends. You’re split on what to do, split between obligations and your own personal feelings.</p>
<p>A familiar ding comes from your phone and you pull it out to see who’s texting you. It’s from Papyrus. A picture of him and Sans cuddling with Milo and Caspien fills your phone screen, which eases your heart just as much as it makes it clench. You save the picture and set it as your new lock screen, then stand up from the floor and brush yourself off. Alright… Time to go home and talk to your boys.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Semicolon</p>
<p>If you have any suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Semicolon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which you have dinner with your boys</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You unlock the door to your new two-story house and brace for the two dogs flying towards you at mach 2, happily scooping them up and twirling around a bit before methodically kicking the door closed and setting them down. The puppies are displeased that their attempt to escape was thwarted, but immediately brighten as you offer belly rubs.</p><p>Shouting from the kitchen is heard and soon, quick footsteps are heading your way. You peek up and are met with blue boots and bare bones legs (heh). You look up more and are met with the adorable sight of your friend puffing out his cheekbones.</p><p>“YOU’RE LATE! WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?” He asks once he’s sure he has your attention. You flinch a bit and turn back to the puppies still rolled over on the floor, petting them idly as you think of a way to avoid the situation a bit longer.</p><p>“Um… Chara had a lot to talk about. Could we discuss it after dinner? It smells really good in here and I couldn’t fully enjoy lunch.” You tell Sans, and he seems to understand your want to avoid talking. He gently picks you up off the floor and leads you to the dining room, where three plates of tacos are just waiting to be eaten.</p><p>Across the walls are portraits of different scenes the three of you have experienced together. A painting of Sans laughing in a meadow, a sunflower held over his left eye. Papyrus excitedly showing you a collage of the different pictures he’s taken. The three of you wearing the most awful clothing you could possibly put together, each in the most dramatic poses you could pull off. You smile at the happy memories you’ve made with your friends. What you’re about to request of them might ruin the relationship the three of you have, but… It’s your job. </p><p>Papyrus saunters into the room, Caspian and Milo following happily behind him. You’ve never seen the three apart since the day the monsters surfaced and have drawn too many pictures of the three together. Papyrus plants a skeleton kiss on your cheek, then settles into the seat beside you. Blue returns from the kitchen, pitcher of some drink or another in his hand, which he sets on the table, then sits in the seat across from you.</p><p>“Bone Appetit!” The three of you muse at the same time, then dig into the tacos in front of you. Dinner is filled with jokes and laughter. Caspian pounced on your leg on several occasions, trying to get meat from you. Milo puttered around the kitchen in search of any dropped bits of food. It was fun. You felt free for a while, just as you always do whenever you’re hanging out with Sans and Papyrus. But then dinner ended.</p><p>“WILL YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED WITH CHARA NOW?” Sans asks once the previous conversation has died down. You fidget with your hands for a moment before cautiously telling them about the monsters who have been getting their stories taken from them. The two nod along until you get to Chara’s plan.</p><p>“wait wait wait- they want us to do what now?” Papyrus asks, exasperation clear on his face. </p><p>“Er, well, they want us to bait the thieves with your book and use my own story to monitor what the criminals are doing to the stories? I don’t think they would come to me about this if they had other options, but I also realize this is a huge deal for you guys and I would never try to force you to do something you don’t want to do.” You rush out when you notice their expressions drooping. You didn’t want to make them feel pressured. In fact, you’d rather not tell them anything at all. But the stories of so many monsters are resting on this decision and you can’t keep that information from them.</p><p>“WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN FOR OUR OPINIONS, BUT IS THIS REALLY A CHOICE? IT’S CLEAR MONSTERS ARE HURTING FROM THE ACTIONS OF THESE THIEVES. I COULDN’T STAND WATCHING OUR FRIENDS GET HURT WHILE KNOWING I COULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP THEM.” Sans seems so sad that you immediately reach across the table to hold his hand. It’s trembling a little bit and you feel nothing but remorse and  guilt for even bringing the topic up. Maybe if you had just flat out rejected Chara’s idea, you wouldn’t have to deal with the sad and disappointed looks from your housemates.</p><p>“don’t give us that look, honey. this wasn’t your idea so you don’t have to feel guilty about it. for now, we need some time to think it through and weigh the pros and cons. you should take some time to think your decision over too. it’s your story that’s going to be used as much as ours.” Papyrus says and lays a gentle hand on your shoulder.</p><p>“Yeah. I won’t make my decision lightly, even if it’s my responsibility and all that. And if you guys say no, that’s it. I won’t pressure you guys and I’ll tell Chara to drop it.” Sans and Papyrus smile at you, then drop the conversation for something lighter; namely, teaching Caspian new tricks.</p><p>By the time you wave the brothers goodnight, Caspian can play dead and high five. You lie in bed for a while, fretting over whether you should allow Chara to use your book or not. It gets to the point that you have to leave your room and retreat to your studio to paint your feelings. If Sans and Papyrus notice the subtle incorporation of bars when you show them the next day, they don’t say anything.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Side Margin</p><p>The next chapter is my favorite to date, so I might update it n the middle of the week! Anyway~ If you guys have any suggestions or if you just wanna talk, feel free to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Side Margin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which you go to a cafe</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Whistle while you work~” You hum along to the song blasting from your speakers, long brush strokes accentuating the brushing sounds from the familiar Disney classic. You never understood how any self-respecting woman would support a movie like Snow White enough to offer to voice act for it, but who are you to judge? Any well-paying job back then was rare, especially for ladies.</p><p>The sound of your name being called and the thumping of heavy boots approaching gives you enough warning to put up your brushes and place your latest painting a safe distance away. Suddenly, you’re wrapped in a tight hug and there are dogs circling beneath you, yapping happily and attempting to bite your ankles. Sans places you down and presses a nuzzle to your forehead, which you gladly accept.</p><p>“Heya Sans. You’re back early. And if your mood is anything to go by, I’d say you left of your own accord.” You note and watch as his skull brightens up at your words. So you were spot-on.</p><p>“YEP! AND I SAW A NEW MONSTER CAFE OPENING ON THE WAY HERE, SO I THOUGHT I’D INVITE YOU TO COME CHECK IT OUT WITH ME.” Sans offers, his grin turning sheepish towards the end. You give a delighted clap and take his hand, dragging him out of the room and towards the living room. One last glance at your latest cage painting is all you get before the two of you are out the door and applying your riding gear.</p><p>The ride to the cafe is quick yet fun. Sans has been getting better at riding his bike lately, which makes for smooth sailing and allows you to observe the rolling scenery. You’ve taken a few opportunities to draw abstract images of the blurred views you get from under your helmet, but it never feels like you get the colors right.</p><p>“ONE OF MUFFET’S COUSINS OWNS THIS ESTABLISHMENT. THEY USED TO OWN A DINER IN THE UNDERGROUND BUT GRILLBY ALWAYS OUTSHONE THEM WHEN IT CAME TO DINNER AND LUNCH MEALS.” Sans explains as he unclips his helmet from his head. You nod absentmindedly but your focus is more on the cyan beads of sweat forming on his brow. Sans never sweats…</p><p>“A-ANYWAY! WE SHOULD HEAD INSIDE! I’M FAMISHED.” You follow along behind him, still puzzling about his odd behaviour. All the pieces kind of click when you catch sight of a wonderfully picturesque table, three seats placed around it and a bouquet of red roses, yellow daffodils and a smattering of blue forget-me-nots . Your hands itch to sketch out the perfect sight and the urge just gets stronger when you see Papyrus waltz in from stage left, his orange hoodie replaced with a pleasant yellow turtleneck. You only notice now that you’re wearing a red not dissimilar to the roses and Sans is wearing a slightly darker shade of blue than usual to match the robin’s egg color of his own flowers.</p><p>“Wh- you guys! This is beautiful!” You blurt out when you finally regain most of your bearings. Papyrus lets out his wonderful ‘nyeheheh’ laugh and Sans busts out his own rendition of the sound, though it sounds very relieved.</p><p>“well don’t just stand around, hun. take a seat.” Papyrus invites and pulls the seat between the two others out for you to settle in. You sigh in relief when the obnoxious farting noise that accompanied every offered seat in the beginning of your relationship with Papyrus does not come. Rather, you get to settle into your seat and watch as your friends settle into their own, the rays of the sun filtering through the window and casting an illuminating effect on their skulls. Even though it’s unlikely, you still wish this was an actual date. Sure, you went on a few ‘dates’ with Sans and Papyrus before, but monsters seemed to have different standings on what sort of relationships constitute ‘dating’.</p><p>It appears someone already ordered for your group as steaming meals are brought out only minutes after you all settle into pleasant conversations. You desperately want to take pictures to use as references for future projects, but you feel it would be rude, especially since it seems like they planned this out in advance. Thoughts of that night a few days ago make a shot of dread course through your soul and you battle to keep the feeling down. They wouldn’t take you out to a fancy lunch just to tell you they no longer want to be friends with you and that they are appalled you would even consider using their stories as bait. They just wouldn’t… That would be too cruel.</p><p>“HOW ARE YOU ENJOYING THE MEAL DEAR?” Sans suddenly pipes up, making you lose your line of thinking. Right. You’re here, in a cute cafe with two of the most attractive people you’ve ever met, eating a wonderful meal and breathing in the scent of a carefully arranged bouquet of flowers that directly correspond with the colors you associate with freedom. You are free right now. Free to speak your mind, free to leave, free to… question them what this is about. But for now, you’ll go along with the pleasantries.</p><p>“It’s really good! The sauce is very rich yet subtle and the noodles are cooked to perfection.” You compliment and give a french kiss. Papyrus laughs at your joking mannerisms and gives you a look filled with what you can only describe as admiration. You only realize now that you’ve seen this look on his face too many times to count. Admiration with a subtle hint of… something else.</p><p>“SO… WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT YOU HERE TO CELEBRATE SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT!” Sans speaks, dragging you out of your contemplations. You quickly run over what sort of anniversary or celebration you could possibly be missing. Being the Ambassador’s assistant has given you great organizational skills and you haven’t missed a single celebration yet, even when it comes to obscure monster holidays. What’s so special about today? What are you missing?</p><p>“IT’S BEEN AN AMAZING MONTH!” Sans continues, making you even more confused. Month? What happened a month ago? The monsters have been on the surface for nearly half a year and you’ve been living with these two almost as long. The suspense is driving you crazy! Luckily, Papyrus seems to recognize your anxiety about the topic and finishes his brother’s statement.</p><p>“happy one month of dating! yay” Your mind goes blank. What? WHAT?! Dating? Dating who? Them? Questions are swirling in your mind and in your overwhelmed state you can only press out a dumb sounding “Uhh” Good job you.</p><p>“I mean! Ahem- Congratulations? Um, who’s the lucky partner...s?” You stumble on every single part of your words. You quickly glance around for a hole to crawl into and die in, but there are none and the skeletons are giving you weird looks.</p><p>“Y-You?? You Are Our Partner? We’ve Been Together For A Month Now? How Could You Not- I Mean- Papy?” Sans looks to his brother who has the same expression of befuddlement on his features. What is going on?</p><p>“Wait, we were dating? When did… I am so confused right now. You’re saying we’ve been dating, but I was not aware of it, and now we’re celebrating our one month anniversary. Okay. Um… Can you give me a second? This is a lot to take in.” You request, and they each nod and turn their head respectively to give you some privacy. You pull out your phone and look at what happened exactly a month ago. You went out on a hike with the boys and watched the stars with them. Papyrus brought his telescope and to your immense surprise and relief, there was no red ink to block your vision and instead you got to view the expanses of the galaxy.</p><p>While the setting was incredibly romantic, and the boys had been planning the trip for weeks, you never would’ve guessed that was the day you started dating… both of them? That’s another thing. While you wouldn’t be opposed to being with either or both of them, it’s crazy to think they would both want you in the same way. With your thoughts mostly sorted, you tap them both on the shoulder, making them turn back to you with nervous expressions.</p><p>“While I’m not happy I didn’t know we were dating, I’m incredibly flattered that you would both consider me a potential datemate. I… Would actually really like to date you guys. We’ll have to go over some things and I’m not sure how this relationship will even work out, but I want to try. Because I really like you guys.” You tell them with all of the compassion you can muster. Because you really do like them. Not just because they helped you find freedom, but because of who they are; kind, compassionate, beautiful, funny people who you have gotten to know and who have gotten to know you in return. Although your relationship might’ve had a rocky start, and although you have your differences, you still feel an incredible bond with the two monsters before you and you wouldn’t give that bond up for the world.</p><p>“We’re Glad To Hear It. If You Would Like, We Could Make This Our First Official Date And Start Over?” Sans suggests, but you just chuckle and shake your head. Papyrus tilts his skull curiously before his face brightens up and he gives his own suggestion.</p><p>“or we could make it a tradition. all our official datemate celebrations happen a whole month early for them and all of theirs happens a whole month late. just seems fair.” You begin to laugh harder, nodding happily at his suggestion. Papyrus grins up at you and begins laughing in tandem with you, which just makes you laugh harder.</p><p>“That’s gonna be great! Valentines celebrations in January and March, not to mention Gyftmas! All of our neighbors are gonna be so confused!” You bust out laughing at the thought of the monsters and humans on your block staring up at your house with christmas lights up and presents under the tree an entire month early and late.</p><p>“glad you like the idea, hun. too bad it’ll cut into my break time… but i’m happy to make time for you~” Papyrus’s smooth voice is so familiar and you can’t believe it’s taken you this long to realize it’s his flirting voice. You’re kind of embarrassed at how dense you’ve been to their advancements, but how were you supposed to know! All of the monsters have offered to take you out on dates, and while the dates had been fun, by the end the monster (or monsters) would tell you they had a wonderful time and from there treat you as platonically as possible. Even Sans admitted he wanted to keep things platonic after your first date with him, though not that you think about it… He didn’t say anything after the second date. He’s the type to be straightforward with his intentions, so to not say anything about keeping things platonic at that point is strange for him.</p><p>As for Papyrus, he’s always been kind of a flirt. You always assumed that was just his go-to way of speaking, but thinking back on it now, he’s never really been particularly flirty with anyone else. You tuck your thoughts away for later and decide to just focus on the here and now. Dwelling on the past has always been a problem for you and you’ve been trying to get better about it. Sans reaches for your hand and you let him take it. The action is so familiar, but it feels more meaningful with this new information. In fact, everything about this date feels more meaningful. This isn’t a simple outing with friends. This is a well thought-out date specifically to celebrate the three of you. Your grip on Sans’ hand tightens and you reach out your other hand for Papyrus to take. He huffs out a light ‘nyeh heh heh’ and begins playing with your fingers.</p><p>Nearly an hour later, the three of you leave the cafe to head home. Even if you didn’t get a picture for reference later, you feel like you’ll remember this day for years to come. A new portrait sits on your wall by the end of the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Binder</p><p>Mwahahahah! My favorite chapter to date! Anyway~ If you guys have any suggestions or just wanna talk, feel free to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>. 'Till next time~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Binder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which you have a guest over</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“C-Chara! What a… Pleasant surprise.” You press out as you pull open the front door. There, dressed in their usual green sweater with yellow stripes and brown slacks, is the monster ambassador. As much as you would like to treat this like a casual visit, you know for a fact it’s anything but. Even so, you invite the teenager inside and watch as they set Temmie down on your living room couch before turning around and eyeing your attire.</p>
<p>It’s not much, really. You’ve been dressing a bit nicer since you’re dating Sans and Papyrus now, but not so much nicer that it’s obvious. Just a comfortable sweater and shorts with little heart patches sewn into the pockets. Even though it’s subtle, Chara still gives you a knowing look and a little eyebrow wag. They’re never gonna let you live this down.</p>
<p>‘<em>So~ You’ve been a little busy this past week. Not to mention since the last time I came over. Do you just paint a new picture every day?</em>’ Chara questions as they look over the walls filled with portrait upon portrait. Their eyes linger on a photo of you, Sans and Papyrus gathered around your story. You’re excitedly holding up two pictures that look almost identical to eachother and Sans is gesturing to the one on the left. Papyrus is sticking his tongue out at the camera. There are colorful doodles scrawled across the pages on your story and it’s clear the three of you are having a good time. You feel sick when Chara keeps their gaze on your book, like it’s a frog to dissect.</p>
<p>“No, only every other day. Papyrus likes putting up his pictures, too, so I can see how you could think that.” You try to keep your tone light, but they perk up at the mention of your datemate, like they were just waiting for you to bring one or both of them up.</p>
<p>'<em>Speaking of Papyrus, how is the decision coming along? Have you even talked to them about it yet?</em>' Chara quizzes, their tone sounding teasing but there is the slightest bit of accusation to their voice that leaves you feeling chilled.</p>
<p>“I’ve talked to them about it, but like I said earlier, I wasn’t going to press if they were uncomfortable. We’ve got a good thing going here. I don’t want to ruin it by forcing them to decide.” You tell Chara and glance towards the kitchen. You’re about to offer to make some tea when they step forward, a fiery look in their eyes.</p>
<p>'<em>Between you and I, as colleagues and as workmates, I would press the issue a little harder. Monsters are being ripped from their picture perfect lives. You know, like the type that you have. You’re one of the few people I know who can help, and the only one I trust enough to ask this sort of favor from. Please, you have to help.</em>'</p>
<p>The look in their eyes is pitiable. They truly are desperate. But your own past comes up and nips at your ears. ‘Just this once’ ‘You’re the only one I can trust’ ‘A single sentence is all I’m asking.’</p>
<p>You flinch and rip yourself away from their pleading gaze. A cold feeling washes over you. Trapped. You’re trapped again. You’re never going to escape. Your shaking legs bring you to the kitchen and, as if on auto-pilot, you begin taking out a kettle and set it on the stove to heat up. Chara follows you into the kitchen and watches as you bustle about, making tea and trying to get your emotions under control. You glance at the picture hanging just a bit to the left. Sans is pulling a sheet full of heart-shaped cookies out of the oven. He has a smattering of flour on his clothes and skull, but his eyelights are bright and full, a proud grin tugging at his teeth. He looks so free. You felt so free as you snapped the picture that inspired the painting.</p>
<p>And you’re still free.</p>
<p>A few calming breaths later and you’re ready to face the Ambassador again.</p>
<p>“We’re friends, right, Chara?” You ask the child, who cautiously nods their head at your question. “I really want to help you. But I won’t be bullied into forcing my friends to use their story as bait. It’s not fair to them and it’s not fair to me.” You say sternly, and Chara gives you a slightly guilty look. They seem to realize how they came across and regret it. They’re one of the few people who know how you feel about freedom.</p>
<p>“Just give them some time to come to their own decisions. If they choose not to use their books, you have to respect them and move on to plan B. If they decide that you can use their story, I ask that you treat their trust with utmost respect. Sans and Papyrus are their own people and they have their own feelings. If you betray them, I will be beyond displeased.” You warn. Something in your voice clicks with them and Chara nods their head furiously. You give a tentative grin at their reaction, but turn around quickly as the kettle whistles. For a while, it is silent except for the clicking of mugs and metal. Papyrus took the dogs out on a walk not too long ago and you suspect he’ll be back soon. Sans is at work, so he won’t be home until late. Maybe you can get Papyrus to help you make a surprise dinner for your datemate.</p>
<p>'<em>There’s one last thing I wanted to talk about, before your boys come back.'</em> Chara signs as you pass them their mug. Your cheeks go rosy at their words. You’ve heard the phrase before, of course, but it has a different meaning now. It sounds… Good. You like it.</p>
<p>“Aheh, um… What did you want to talk about?” You ask while trying to regain your bearings. Chara has a mischievous glint in their eyes as they observe your reaction, but they don’t say anything for a while and you force yourself to take a sip of your tea to calm your nerves.</p>
<p>'<em>I just wanted to say how proud I am that you finally caught on. The whole undernet has been talking about your relationship with them for months now, and finally, you returned their advancements. I was beginning to lose hope you’d ever catch on.</em>' Chara lets out an inaudible sigh, making you blush further. You take a long sip from your mug and advert your eyes. You are not about to get into a conversation about your datemates with a child ambassador. Not today!</p>
<p>“Thanks for your… Support? How about you and Asriel? I’ve seen a lot of pictures with the two of you together lately. Anything you wanna tell me?” Chara’s rosy cheeks heat up even more and you barely hold back your giggle at the reaction. Ever since surfacing, the two can hardly be seen without the other. Although, Asgore is pretty against Chara dating quite yet. Something about them having all of the time in the world to find a partner. He’s just being an overprotective dad, in your opinion.</p>
<p>‘<em>W-Well! We’ve been as good as best friends can be, of course! Assy and I have been getting into school work recently. I think he’s having a hard time with math, but he’s a huge history buff.</em>’ Chara signs hurriedly, their cheeks heating up the more they stumble. You laugh good naturedly and take a long sip from your mug, which makes them do the same. A silence overtakes the two of you after that, until the door suddenly bursts open and the pitter patter of dog feet make their way to your ears.</p>
<p>You and Chara are soon surrounded by the small dogs, who yip happily and attempt to jump up on the table to get more pets. Chara is adept at handling dogs but is soon overtaken by the two. You laugh at the display and soon another voice is joining the gleeful moment.</p>
<p>“nyeh heh heh… to what do we owe the pleasure, little ambassador?” Papyrus asks once the giggles have mostly died down. Chara takes a few more moments to compose themself before raising their hands to sign their answer.</p>
<p><em>‘I wanted to pay my assistant a visit and discuss the request I made of your niche. Your mate has voiced their request on how I proceed negotiations with you and I shall respect their wishes. I won’t ask anything until Sans returns, but I do want to get the discussion out of the way today, if at all possible.’</em> You feel a pit in your stomach as their words continue. You really wish this wasn’t a thing to discuss at all. It feels like too big of an obligation for three people alone to take on. A bony hand on your shoulder pulls you out of your thoughts and you look up into Papyrus’ shrunken sockets, which immediately calms you down. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do… Even if you can’t voice your own thoughts, Papyrus will be sure to keep your opinions in mind.</p>
<p>“sounds good to me. anyway, i heard napstaton has a new series out. why don’t we go watch it?” Papyrus suggests and gestures to the doorway. The meaning is clear. ‘why don’t you, Chara, go to the living room to give us some alone time.’ Luckily, the ambassador doesn’t seem too bothered by this and skips off into the living room. When they are finally gone, you sag in your seat and let out the breath you hadn’t even known you were holding.</p>
<p>“you okay, hun? do ya need anything?” Papyrus asks as he comes up to your side, worry clear in his expression. You take his outstretched hand in your own and observe the bone, counting out the different structures until your erratic breathing has returned to normal.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah, I’m fine… I mean, I’m not great, but I’m not terrible. What I’m trying to say is thank you. For coming home when you did, and… for everything else. I really appreciate it.” You tell him and continue to drag your fingers over his structures. Papyrus runs his free hand through your hair and lets out a sound close to a purr, something you notice he does when trying to calm you or Sans down. It works wonders and you lean your head against his ribcage, soaking in the sounds and his warmth.</p>
<p>Eventually, the two of you separate and head into the living room. Dramatic music drones from the speakers, but Chara is watching the two of you rather than the screen where your favorite robot is mixing some amazing tracks. Scarlet rises to your cheeks at the knowing smile they give you, but the feeling of Papyrus’ hand in yours sets you at ease. You’re free, right now. Free to do whatever you want. So, you pull your datemate to the couch and nestle into his side, completely ignoring Chara’s knowing look and cheering on the monster moving about on your screen.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Genre</p>
<p>Haha, time to go back to the plot, everyone! This story was supposed to be short in the first place, ending at chapter three or four, but a sudden idea came to me and I decided to lengthen it, so now we're here, with monster stories being stolen and cute romantic leads!</p>
<p>Anyway~ If you guys have any questions, or if you just wanna talk, feel free to reach out to me on my <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint">Tumblr</a>. 'Till next time~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Genre</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which there is a debate</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sans comes home much too quickly, in your opinion. Usually, seeing your bubbly datemate entering the house with a giant grin on his face fills you with joy! But the feeling of predatory eyes boring into your back fills you with dread.</p>
<p>Before the feeling can settle, Papyrus brings you in for a tight hug and you let out a relieved sigh. You’re still free. Sans looks over the living room, noting your huddled form, Papyrus’ protective aura and Charas bright grin, then sighs. It’s gonna be a long night.</p>
<p>“CHARA! I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU IN FOREVER. HOW IS WORK AS THE AMBASSADOR GOING?” Sans questions the teen, apparently jumping right into matters. You curl up a bit more and Sans takes the opportunity to settle in beside you so you’re safely cushioned between your datemates.</p>
<p>‘<em>Ah, not so well. I’m sure your precious mate has already told you, but some people out there are stealing monster stories. Dads council is on my rear end about getting everything sorted before hysteria breaks out</em>.’ Chara plays their card, then waits for your group to retaliate. You aren’t sure of their exact stances on the subject, but Sans has never been the type to leave a monster behind and always helps those in need. Meanwhile, Papyrus would much rather keep his close friends safe, even if it risks the happiness of others.</p>
<p>“YES, I KNOW HOW MUCH TROUBLE IT IS, TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE CALM. AND I REALIZE YOU REQUIRE OUR HELP TO ASSURE PEACE IS KEPT, BUT WHAT PRECAUTIONS HAVE YOU PREPARED IN THE EVENT THAT THINGS GO AWRY IN THIS OPERATION?” Sans decides to take his turn first, and boy howdy did he start off with a doozy of a question. You hadn’t even considered precautions to take, but you would probably feel better if you had some sort of safeguard in place.</p>
<p>‘<em>I was discussing with Temmie and it seems like they didn’t really check what was in the bag or the book when they took it. We could plant a tracking device, or, with your consent, a microchip with a recorder or camera installed. It would help us gather more information and would be useful in tracking the stories back down in the long run.</em>’ Chara offers, but their words don’t ease your soul at all.</p>
<p>“What if they were to check the book over and, upon discovering the tracking methods, tore it up? That’s a lifetime of investment gone down the drain in a single moment, and a huge part of Sans and Papyrus’ lives forfeited. Are you willing to deal with the backlash that would cause?” You question, and Chara looks at their hands for a few moments before nodding their head very seriously. You sigh, but wave your hand for them to continue.</p>
<p>‘<em>I don’t plan on letting your book go missing. I’m sure you two know how I can do that. But I can tell you guys are still uneasy, so let me put your fears to rest. No monster has reported that their books have become damaged. That means the likelihood of specifically your story getting torn up is low to none.</em>’ Chara shrugs, as if to say ‘simple as that’. You aren’t sure if you're reassured or even more nervous than before. How many monsters have gotten their stories taken? And how many more are going to be affected before someone can put an end to it?</p>
<p>‘<em>We’re reaching the hundreds now.</em>’ Chara signs as if in answer to your silent question. Hundreds of monsters…</p>
<p>“and if your plan doesn’t work? what will you do then?” Papyrus finally speaks up and you notice both brothers tense up s chara signs their next form of action; to start over. Or, more accurately, to reset.</p>
<p>“no. we won’t help ya if failure means going back.” Papyrus spits at the child who withdraws slightly at his words. The fire in their eyes refuses to retreat, however.</p>
<p>‘<em>I could restart right now and there would be nothing you could do about it. Would you prefer that? A forced reset with no option B, no chance to even try to get it right? Or are you going to at least try and know that, just because you failed, it doesn’t mean you didn’t do everything in your power to prevent it? What course of action would you prefer?'</em> You take the moment of silence that ensues after Chara’s outburst to ask the question that’s been on your mind since ‘Resets’ first got mentioned.</p>
<p>“Okay, I’m gonna sound kind of dumb right now, especially since we’re in the middle of a serious conversation, but what’s a Reset?” You ask and watch as the tension melts away just to be replaced by a whole new type of tension. Papyrus looks hesitant for a moment before a resolve comes over his features and he begins to explain what really happened in the underground.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Stories</p>
<p>Oof this took longer to make than I thought it would. I've never been good at writing conflict so this was actually really challenging. Either way, I think it turned out pretty well!</p>
<p>Also, I'm going to go back and italicize all of Chara's lines just so it's more clear that they aren't actually talking and are, in fact, using sign language.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Stories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which what happened in the underground is revealed.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It started innocent enough. A phrase having to be repeated because you couldn’t remember it, little moments where things just wouldn’t add up. The weirdest part was that no one but Papyrus and Sans could feel it.</p><p>And then a child emerged from the Ruins.</p><p>At first, it was just another job. Capture the human, bring it to Undyne. From there their soul will be harvested and Asgore would use it to escape the underground and lay waste to the humans. But then they died. And then died again. Again and again, they would fall at the hands of a monster, only to come back stronger, smarter.</p><p>Eventually, Sans had to try his hand at taking the child out. If he could only capture them long enough for Undyne to come and take them out, everything would be perfect. They could finally leave. Except, the child was nice. They complimented Sans and convinced him that they could be friends. And for a long while, that was the truth.</p><p>Years passed, but nothing changed. One day, the child got bored and tried something… Different. They went back to the beginning of their story... and everything RESET.</p><p>It didn’t take long after that for everything to go downhill. Monsters started disappearing, people would stop communicating, dust piles would show up. Everyone was dying and Papyrus and Sans were the only ones who realized something was wrong with space-time.</p><p>In this time the child went all the way to Asgore multiple times but no matter what they did they could not get out of the underground. It was around this time that the brothers began to give up hope, began to write things they didn’t really mean in their stories. But something different happened this time. You began to draw again. After so many years of silence, you were Determined to change the future. Obviously, you weren’t as powerful as the child. You couldn’t disrupt time like they could. But you could affect what’s happening with your drawings. You could create miracles for them and yourself.</p><p>And the miracle you recreated was one of freedom. Because a drawing is not only what the author is making, but what the viewers make of it. And Sans and Papyrus could only see change and beauty in your drawings.</p><p>The child who had been intent on destruction changed. They became kind again. They became just as beautiful as your drawings and finally, after so many years of struggle and heartache, the monsters were free.</p><p>Even after all of this, Sans and Papyrus did not feel safe. They didn’t feel free. Not until you showed up in their lives and showed them how to live, not just for the other monsters, but for themselves. And now…</p><p>“now it’s all being threatened by the same child who damned us to years of pain and heartache.” Papyrus finishes his story and glares at Chara who appears as neutral as ever. If anything, they look… Even more neutral. You can’t see a hint of remorse in their eyes.</p><p>“I can’t go back and take away all of your memories, as much as I want to. All we can do is move on and do the next right thing. And at the moment, the next right thing is to help all of the monsters who are hurting.”</p><p>“IS THAT REALLY THE NEXT RIGHT THING, THOUGH? HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE?” Sans asks, only to flinch back when Chara’s red orbs land on his.</p><p>‘I don’t know for sure. I can only do what I think is best in the moment, and right now, my gut is telling me that your story is the key.’</p><p>Sans looks like he’s about to argue further but an idea suddenly comes to your mind and you put a hand to his sternum. “What if we…” Sans and Papyrus listen to your idea for a few moments before nodding their assent and you turn back to address the child.</p><p>“Sans and Papyrus are willing to agree to your plan, on one condition.” Chara gestures for you to continue, intrigued with what you could possibly be planning, and what you said to convince the two to agree to this impossible plan.</p><p>“As long as you are doing what you want with their story, they can do what they want with your story.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next Chapter: Book Exchange</p><p>Man i'm really moving this plot along. We're already almost at the main conflict~ Anyway~</p><p>Happy Holidays! Stay safe everybody!</p>
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